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HeliosDB Graph Database - Complete User Guide

HeliosDB Graph Database - Complete User Guide

Version: 6.5 Last Updated: November 17, 2025 Audience: Graph Database Users, Data Analysts, Application Developers, Neo4j Migrants

Overview

This is the complete user guide for HeliosDB’s Graph Database feature. The guide has been modularized into focused sections for easier navigation and reference.

HeliosDB provides a high-performance, Neo4j-compatible graph database with:

  • Neo4j-compatible Cypher query language and Bolt protocol
  • High performance: <78ms P99 for 6-degree traversals
  • Scalability: 1B+ edges with distributed sharding
  • 10 graph algorithms: PageRank, centrality, community detection, pathfinding
  • ACID transactions with snapshot isolation
  • Multi-model: Unified with SQL, document, time-series
  • Cost efficiency: 10x lower TCO than separate graph databases

Table of Contents

1. Introduction

What is a graph database, and why choose HeliosDB? Learn about the core concepts, performance advantages, and unique features.

Topics: Graph database basics, HeliosDB advantages, performance metrics, Neo4j compatibility, cost efficiency

2. Quick Start (15 Minutes)

Get started with HeliosDB Graph Database in just 15 minutes. Create your first graph, add nodes and edges, and run queries.

Topics: Installation, schema creation, node/edge insertion, first Cypher query, pattern matching

3. Cypher Query Language

Complete guide to Cypher query language support in HeliosDB, including all query clauses with practical examples.

Topics: MATCH patterns, WHERE filtering, RETURN projections, CREATE/UPDATE/DELETE operations, ORDER BY, LIMIT, SKIP, pagination

4. Graph Patterns

Learn how to describe and query different graph structures using pattern matching.

Topics: Simple paths, bidirectional relationships, variable-length paths, shortest paths, complex patterns, multiple patterns

5. Graph Algorithms

In-depth guide to all 10 graph algorithms available in HeliosDB with examples and performance metrics.

Topics: PageRank, Louvain community detection, Label Propagation, Dijkstra, A*, Betweenness/Closeness/Degree/Eigenvector Centrality, BFS/DFS traversal

6. Use Cases

Real-world use cases with complete implementation examples.

Topics: Social network analysis, fraud detection, recommendation engines, knowledge graphs, supply chain optimization, network analysis

7. Performance Optimization

Best practices and techniques for optimizing graph database performance.

Topics: Index creation, query optimization, batch loading, graph projection, caching strategies, storage optimization

8. Integration

How to integrate HeliosDB Graph Database with other systems and languages.

Topics: SQL joins with graphs, REST API, Bolt protocol (Neo4j drivers), Python/JavaScript examples, GraphQL integration

9. Migration from Neo4j

Complete guide for migrating from Neo4j to HeliosDB.

Topics: Compatibility matrix, export from Neo4j, import to HeliosDB, query translation, performance comparison

10. API Reference

Complete API documentation for all graph database methods and structures.

Topics: Core data structures (Node, Edge, Path), GraphStorage methods, Cypher execution, traversal algorithms, graph algorithms

11. Monitoring

Tools and techniques for monitoring graph database performance.

Topics: Query performance tracking, graph statistics, memory usage, cache metrics, slow query logging, Prometheus export

12. Troubleshooting

Common issues and solutions when working with HeliosDB Graph Database.

Topics: Out of memory errors, slow queries, import errors, solutions and best practices

Quick Navigation

By Task

By Algorithm

By Integration Method

Performance Highlights

OperationPerformance
6-degree BFS (1M nodes)<78ms P99
Neighbor lookup400ns
Vertex insertion450K/sec
Shortest path (100K nodes)~15ms P99
PageRank (100K nodes)~890ms P99
Memory (100M edges)9.6GB

Additional Resources

  • Architecture Documentation: docs/architecture/v6.0/F6.5_GRAPH_DATABASE_ARCHITECTURE.md
  • API Documentation: docs/api/graph.md
  • Code Examples: examples/graph/
  • Feature Index: FEATURE_INDEX.md
  • Support: support@heliosdb.com

Document Structure

This user guide has been split into modular sections for better organization and navigation. Each section is a standalone document that can be read independently, but cross-references are provided for related topics.

All sections include:

  • Breadcrumb navigation showing they’re part of this guide
  • Clear navigation to previous/next sections
  • Links back to this index
  • Consistent formatting and examples

Summary

HeliosDB Graph Database provides a powerful, Neo4j-compatible solution with superior performance and seamless multi-model integration. Whether you’re building social networks, fraud detection systems, recommendation engines, or knowledge graphs, HeliosDB offers the tools and performance you need.

Start with the Introduction to understand the fundamentals, or jump directly to the Quick Start to begin building immediately.

Document Version: 2.0 (Modular) HeliosDB Version: 6.5 Last Updated: November 17, 2025